Oscars 2016: Final Predictions/Thoughts

Note: everything going the NBRA way would be my ideal but alas, that's highly unlikely.

Best Picture

The Revenant having won both the BAFTAs and Golden Globe Best Picture awards as strong precursors, leads me to think that it has the strongest chance of winning. However, unfortunately The Big Short won the PGA which has ben awarded to the eventual winner of the Best Picture Oscar, 9 years in a row. *shudders*

Best Actor

No way they're not giving this to Leo. Only way it would happen if the votes were tallied wrongly, or DiCaprio's REALLY pissed off some important people in the industry.

Best Actress

Larson's basically a lock as she's won every precursor beforehand. And I have no problem with that, whatsoever.

Best Supporting Actor

Stallone's close to being a lock, if he's going to be upset my pick would probably be Rylance since he won the BAFTA. I won't mind either of them, or Hardy, winning whatsoever as they're three very strong candidates.

Best Supporting Actress

Vikander, like Larson, has won pretty much every precursor beforehand. Kate Winslet could make an upset, but it's unlikely.

Best Director

Miller's still a possibility considering his film's only gained love as the award season has gone by, nevertheless I still think The Revenant and Iñárritu will be winning this. Can't remember the last time a director won 2 years in a row and I would say the odds are against his favour if his work hasn't been so thoroughly adored thus far by awards organisations.

Best Original/Adapted Screenplay

torontoist.com

Unfortunately The Big Short is pretty much all but set for a win in Adapted Screenplay, unless the Academy comes to its sense and realises how much better written The Martian and Brooklyn are. As for Original Screenplay, I think Spotlight's all but guaranteed the win too, in a much more positive spin on things.

Other technical categories

Frankly, I think everything else is going to be a dogfight between Mad Max and The Revenant, although I may be mistaken in that Star Wars might get some love in visual effects and sound, Deakins might get a deserved career achievement award for Best Cinematography, and Sound might go to the same nominee in both Mixing and Editing.

Category	Will Win	Should Win
Best Picture	The Revenant	Brooklyn
Best Actor	Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant	Matt Damon, The Martian
Best Actress	Brie Larson, Room	Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn
Best S. Actor	Sylvester Stallone, Creed	Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Best S. Actress	Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl	Rooney Mara, Carol or Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Best Animated Feature Film	Inside Out	Inside Out
Cinematography	The Revenant	Sicario
Costume Design	Mad Max: Fury Road	Carol
Directing	Alejandro Iñárritu, The Revenant	George Miller, Mad Max
Documentary	Amy	N/A
Documentary (Short Subject)	Body Team 12	N/A
Film Editing	Mad Max: Fury Road	Mad Max: Fury Road
Foreign Film	Son of Saul	N/A
Makeup/Hair	Mad Max: Fury Road	Mad Max: Fury Road
Best Score	The Hateful Eight	The Hateful Eight (though Sicario/Carol are great too, Morricone NEEDS to win)
Best Song	‘Writing’s on the Wall’, Spectre	N/A (haven’t listened to the other nominees yet)
Production Design	Mad Max: Fury Road	Carol (Mad Max is a great choice though)
Short Film (Animated)	World of Tomorrow	N/A
Short Film (Live Action)	Shok	N/A
Sound Editing	Mad Max: Fury Road	Mad Max: Fury Road
Sound Mixing	The Revenant	The Force Awakens
Visual Effects	Mad Max: Fury Road	Mad Max: Fury Road
Screenplay (Adapted)	The Big Short	Brooklyn/The Martian
Screenplay (Original)	Spotlight	Ex Machina